


The Burdens of Leadership

by BlackHunter666



Series: The Many Adventures of the 796th Star Corps [5]
Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Command control, Demerits, Gen, don't argue
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-06
Updated: 2015-05-06
Packaged: 2018-03-29 07:39:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3887833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackHunter666/pseuds/BlackHunter666
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Taking over the 796th has given Commander Hunter a new perspective on things. He knew the burdens of leadership could be heavy but he'd never realised just how much weight his Commanders had carried when he was just a young trooper climbing the ranks. But now that he's in the top position, he's coming to realise that there is a lot more to running a Star Corps than making sure everyone comes back alive.</p><p>This is just a collection of random moments from Hunter's story, following his many ups and downs as he comes to terms with his new position. So come along and share his highs and lows.</p><p>Will also contain characters by 117Neva117 & Claradala26</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Burdens of Leadership

**Author's Note:**

> Captain/Trooper Call belongs to 117Neva117

Frustrated by the news he was getting from Captain Aquila about a few particular officers that were being harsh to the men, Hunter decided it was well past time he put his foot down. He'd already made a public declaration that he would not stand for any more abuse of power from his junior officers, but apparently not everyone had gotten the message. Aquila had turned around dramatically since receiving his new regs manual but not everyone had been so willing to change their ways and accept Hunter's way of doing things.

Getting to his feet when his door chime sounded, Hunter straightened his tunic and strode across the room, the perfect image of a competent and capable leader. Squaring his shoulders and making sure his hair was under control and kept well back from his face, Hunter opened the door and frowned at the sight before him. Of all the reports he had received about trouble in the ranks, one name came up with alarming frequency - Captain Callcenter, otherwise known as Captain Call.

Forcing his calm and giving his junior a disdainful look, Hunter turned smartly on his heel and returned to his desk. Even without a word spoken, Call entered the pristine office and followed behind Hunter. But that small respect wasn't enough to appease Hunter's dissatisfaction with the other man.  
'You're late Captain, not a good start.' Hunter warned, stopping beside his desk and turning as he picked up a datapad from the pile kept on the corner behind his old helmet.  
'My apologies Captain, I had to deal with some minor disturbances on my way here.' Call replied, but his eyes gave him away.  
'So I can expect more demerit reports on my desk with your signature.' Hunter countered, his eyes turning harsh and cold. 'Yet more silly little things that no one really cares about, hmmm?'

Not waiting for Call to speak, Hunter turned his attention to the datapad in his hands and started scrolling through the extraordinarily long list of demerits and punishments handed out by Call in the last month alone. It was easily twice the length of any other officer's list and nearly 95% of the incidents weren't even worth worrying about.  
'Dirty armour…out of uniform…dirty armour…personal possessions…personal possessions… dirty armour…personal possessions…armour…poor situational awareness…armour… poorly maintained weapon…' Hunter read, flicking through the demerits just for today. 'so that's six men doing their duty, one who due to injury cannot wear his uniform properly, one you ran into then punished and at least three with a little something to bring them joy.'  
'Sir, need I remind you of the regulations regarding the care and maintenance of all GAR equipment and weaponry?' Call asked, standing perfectly still as Hunter put the datapad aside.  
'You want to talk about regulations right now? Very well Captain, I'll oblige you.' Hunter nodded, grabbing the uniform measure kit on his desk and stepping forward. 'For a start, your cap is incorrectly worn. That's your first demerit now remove it.'

Circling Call now that he'd snapped to attention, Hunter flipped the hair measure out of the handpiece and held it up, using his left hand to press down on the strands to be sure of a proper measurement. Tutting softly, he checked the length along the sides and front then extended the measure and checked the taper of the cut in the back.  
'Surprise, surprise. Your hair is beyond regulation length in all aspects, Captain. That's four demerits without effort.' Hunter warned, making a note of the demerit tally on the flimsi pad he sometimes wore inside his left arm.

Folding the hair guide back into the body of the kit, Hunter came around Call and snapped out another of the measures, checking the angle and gaps on Call's insignia before jotting down another tally on the pad. Backing up a half step, he examined the way the Captain wore his tunic and shook his head, adding more marks to the mark on his arm.  
'Rank insignia worn incorrectly, collar not properly starched, undershirt showing at collar, stain under right arm, stain on left cuff, creases visible on front panel and wrinkles around the belt.' Hunter rattled off, circling the frozen Captain again. 'creases visible in back panel, damaged stitching on left shoulder, stain on lower back above belt, belt not properly shined, tunic does not sit to regulation length below outer belt, sleeves worn too short, gloves show signs of wear and are incorrectly worn.'

Closing the measuring guide away again, Hunter once more circled and stepped back again, turning his gaze lower to check for any more problems with Call's uniform and turnout. Everywhere he looked, he saw more problems with the way this uniform was being warn and was already thinking of how best to punish Call for this.  
'poorly repaired seam on outer left thigh, creases in trousers, stains visible on both knees, boots show unusual signs of wear, are severely under polished and should have been replaced months ago.' Hunter declared, still adding to the tally as he continued to circle. 'Poorly repaired split in right boot and heavily worn heels indicate that these boots are well past the wearable stage.'

Returning to his desk and setting the measure down with a heavy clunk, Hunter tapped the datapad he'd been reading and met Call's gaze once again. The uniform demerits were just the start of this; Hunter was going to make absolutely certain that Call never again forgot his place.  
'I also have at least seventeen reports of you confiscating personal possessions, even after I made it perfectly clear both in a public address and in a written briefing to all officers that the collection of personal possessions was to be encouraged. In fact, I would class each of these confiscations as theft, since you have never returned any of the items in question. And since you know the regs so well, you know that each one is a separate demerit.' Hunter nodded, picking up the datapad and starting to scroll through it again. 'you are a threat to morale and the good order of the 796th Star Corps, you are on record as stating that Demolish's victims were asking to be abused in such ways and that cannot stand!'

Locking both hands around the datapad so he didn't just lash out and smash Call to the floor, Hunter got right back into his personal space and snarled, his temper flaring as he stared down his delinquent officer.  
'now, without even adding up all of these demerits, I know I have enough on you to bust you back down to a regular trooper but I won't let you cause further harm to the good order and morale of my Corps. So instead you will be busted back down to trooper, stripped of all your additional armour and will be transferred to a position that recently opened up in the Coruscant Guard. I'm sure Commander Fox will be very grateful for another man to fill his duty roster.' Hunter decided, watching the horrors rising in Call's eyes.  
'Yes Sir, I understand Sir.' Call replied, his voice soft and broken.  
'Good, you can go stand in the corner and wait while I finish your transfer papers and then we'll get you some new armour and have you on your way before the evening meal.' Hunter nodded, returning to his desk and sinking down.

Left with no choice, Call did as he was told and waited silently in the corner as Hunter signed off on his career with one deft flick of his wrist. Everything he had built up came crashing down as he was stripped of his rank and position and put onto the roster for the Corrie guards. No doubt Hunter had also marked him as unsuitable for promotion again.  
'Here are your new orders. You are to report directly to the Quarter Master for your new equipment and armour then straight to hanger bay 12 to catch your shuttle. Any divergence from this assigned course will result in a reassignment to Kamino for reconditioning.' Hunter instructed, looking up from his paperwork.  
'Yes Sir, understood Sir.' Call replied, ripping off a perfect salute and waiting for it to be returned before turning smartly and leaving the office.

~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~  
~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~

'This stripe is four mil too wide, Call. Do it again.' Fox ordered, looking over Call's new Corrie Guard armour. 'And these thigh stripes are six mil too narrow. Fix this mess.'  
'Yes Sir. Straight away Sir.' Call replied, leaving the formation and hurrying back to his barracks once again. He'd been with the Guard for just two weeks and already he was longing for the calmer nature of the 796th again.

Though he didn't always agree with what Hunter had been trying to do, Call would do anything to be back among familiar faces and friendlier people. Life with the Guard was a wild mix of boredom and intense judgement. Right now Call was trying to get onto one of the guard teams so he could get out of the barracks but it was surely the hardest thing he'd ever tried to do.

Every little detail had to be perfect and Maker help anyone who didn't meet those exacting standards. Every day was the same thing; Fox would personally examine each prospective Guardsman before they were allowed out in front of the public. But so far call had struggled to meet those exacting standards. Nothing he tried was good enough and that hurt more than he'd ever expected it would.

Stalking back to his bunk, he pulled off his armour and sat, looking at the perfectly straight markings he'd managed to create. Digging into his paint supplies, he pulled out his finest brush and picked up one of his vambraces to try and fix the red by painting white over the four mil difference. He wasn't sure it would work but it was worth a try.


End file.
